If you haven’t called 911 in a while, that’s a good thing. Since no one does it very often, it’s good to refresh your mind once in a while, so you remember what a real emergency is. Here is a list of non-emergencies, or ones that are caused by incompetence.
Continue readingCanadian Dimension Feed: Imperialism and the “Anti-Imperialism of the Fools”
In the modern capitalist era, the ideologies of imperialist rulers vary over time, from the early appeals to “the right” to wealth, power, colonies and grandeur to later claims of a ‘civilizing mission.’ More recently imperial rulers have propagated, many diverse justifications adapted to specific contexts, adversaries, circumstances and audiences.
Continue readingCanadian Dimension Feed: The Company Men
I shied away from “The Company Men” in 2010 because it sounded too much like “Up in the Air,” the repellent George Clooney vehicle about corporate downsizing. Both films were far more concerned about the unemployed executive than the average factory worker, but clearly we are in a different period
Continue readingRecreating Eden: Sunny and Cold Day: Time to Think of Adventures in the Mountains
Many, many years ago Lee and I spent a lot of time hiking in the Sierra Nevada of California. Ever since then there is a particular kind of cold, blue sunshine that I associate with mountain mornings, and which make me want to get moving. This morning it’s considerably colder
Continue readingA Novelist's Mind: Lilian Nattel Online: The Winter Palace by Eva Stachniak
Let me start by saying that The Winter Palace is so rich with historical detail about Russia in the time of the young Catherine the Great that the atmosphere surrounded me even when I put the book down. The Winter Palace tells the story of the young and naive (or
Continue readingThe Disaffected Lib: In Israel, Even the Top Court is an Outlaw
When Israel’s top court runs headlong into international law it’s an ugly day for the rule of law. The Israeli Supreme Court had to decide whether Israeli companies can exploit resources in the Palestinian territory, the West Bank. International law forbids occupying powers from doing just that. Faced with the
Continue readingThe Skwib: Politicians don’t grok satire though
True dat. Alltop groks all forms of humor!
Continue readingDeSmogBlog: New Proof: Republicans Really Are Anti-Science
republican war.jpg As readers know, I’m a regular monitor of polls capturing various aspects of the public’s views on science. These polls consistently show that for the most part, even if people don’t know a ton about it, they basically think science rocks. Americans know very well that science has
Continue readingThe Sir Robert Bond Papers: SRBP at Seven #nlpoli #cdnpoli
The Sir Robert Bond Papers turns seven years old today. The purpose remains simple enough, as described in the first anniversary post: While much has changed in the past year, the core goal for the Bond Papers is still the same: to contribute to an informed discussion of public policy
Continue readingNorthern Reflections: Whose Brain Is Half Full?
Kelly McParland recently nominated the Occupy Movement for The National Post’s “brain half full award.” He scornfully described the movement as: People lying around in tents in downtown parks because somehow that will combat “corporate greed”, or solve one of the two dozen other complaints they had, which essentially boiled
Continue readingWise Law Blog: 140 Law – Legal Headlines for January 3, 2012
Here are the first leading legal headlines from Wise Law on Twitter for Tuesday, January 3rd, 2012. If you opted to avoid technology over the holidays, here is your chance to get caught up!: Loopholes in law spark rise in illegal surrogacy deals – Law Timeshttp://bit.ly/d62xgF – Insghts from @fertilitylaw (S. Cohen) Fogler,
Continue readingCalgaryGrit: Most Viewed Posts of 2011
As 2012 dawns on us, a look back at the most viewed posts on this blog in 2011. While the federal election was a bad time to be a Liberal, it was a good time to be a Liberal blogger. 1. April 4th Seat Projections: A look back at a
Continue readingRed Tory v.3.0.3: Iowa Nice?
A response to the conventional political media spin about Iowa…
Continue readingcentre of the universe: Sodium
I imagine Your face bathed in the diffuse orange glow of a sodium street lamp The curvature of your jawline casts sharp shadows You shrug into a light leather jacket Where are we? Where are we going? Your only answer … Continue reading →
Continue readingcentre of the universe: Sodium
I imagine Your face bathed in the diffuse orange glow of a sodium street lamp The curvature of your jawline casts sharp shadows You shrug into a light leather jacket Where are we? Where are we going? Your only answer … Continue reading →
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: More Good News For the Corporate Sector
While corporations continue the arduous task of union-busting and contract-gutting, their efforts are being amply rewarded. Not only has a beneficent and ideologically-driven Harper government cossetted them with a record-low tax rate, but the captains of industry who lead these voracious job-destroying entities are also prospering quite nicely thanks to
Continue readingSixty-two dollars in my pocket
Here I am back in Toronto after travelling to the Okanagan and then back to the Toronto airport to jump in the car and drive to Erie Pennsylvania to enjoy a fabulous suite for the night before heading onto Durham North Carolina. I flew back last night (after three weeks) with
Continue readingDead Wild Roses: Things you really don’t (shouldn’t) think about… (A duty Poll)
This topic came up at supper, as the best and grossest conversations mostly do. How do you clean your posterior after finishing your business? As a stand and wiper, I assumed that my way was natural. I was surprised to learn that there are several different techniques popular in the
Continue readingPushed to the Left and Loving It: Should the Canadian Media Make New Year’s Resolutions?
I watched Chris Matthew’s Hardball yesterday, where the media panel was asked about their New Year’s resolutions, speaking of them as a whole. Most gave the obvious. Invest in hard journalism, ask the tough questions, cover politics seriously and don’t get distracted by shiny objects. All important goals, but aren’t they
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Leadership 2012 Links and Policy Roundup 3
Assorted policy and punditry from the NDP leadership campaign. – On the policy front, it’s looking like time to give Nathan Cullen full credit for being well ahead of the pack with a well-rounded and detailed set of policies. I missed his democratic reform proposal in my last policy roundup
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